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I've changed dentists a few times over the years and the last was referred by my insurance agent because she's in my network. This came around the time of COVID. The price was right but the work was so-so. I preferred she was the only dentist in the office and each room was separate. Returned for a cleaning earlier this year, I did a deep cleaning procedure and had to pay out of pocket because she claimed the insurance company wasn't paying her invoices. She would reimburse me when she got paid from the insurance company.
As a followup, I called the insurance company to inquire about the reimbursement and they said that dentist was no longer in network. They should have notified me prior to their service they had a status change... instead, I was lied to believing I would be reimbursed after she resolved her billing issues.
Due to the unusual circumstance, the insurance company filed a grievance report and will notify me of the outcome.
I'm back to a previous dentist who I've used a few times, leaving because I didn't like the corporate environment with several dentists, hygienists and staff running around in a 'corral-like' environment. Okay, the COVID fear subsided and the only ones wearing masks are the dentist and assistant.
I went for a cleaning last week and x-rays revealed some decay in a tooth that has a large composite filling on both sides. Crown was recommended. I have a VIP insurance plan with them so the dental work is discounted. Today was the day for preparation of a crown. I was in the chair for 90 minutes and the procedure this time used a digital 3D scanner and not the 'old fashion' rubberized casting that gets mailed to the laboratory for creation of the crown.
It's quickly becoming the standard for dentistry and coincidence, one of my clients works at a dental lab telling me how much better crowns that are cut using the digital technology fit.
I'll know in less than 10 days when I go back for the final.

You can quote me on this:
"The only pain you should feel from a dentist is paying the bill when services are rendered!"

My brother goes for dialysis about 3 times a week. When he travels which happens several times a year, he must find a dialysis center in the location where he visits. He's been on a list for kidney transplant a few years now. I usually talk to him every other week and it's been a month so I left a message. His return call said a hospital 70 miles away contacted him at 2am. They found a donor and surgery was scheduled at 6am.

Four days in the hospital, extreme pain, but he's got a working kidney and no longer needs dialysis. He's home recuperating and doing well.

I usually visit him once a year before the winter/holiday season. This year I'll make plans sooner. Next month... gotta get busy!

Last night was my first real encounter with a person in an Alzheimer meltdown - strictly speaking in the form of LBD, Lewy body dementia, but I'd never heard of that before. A local friend brought her husband over (we live walking distance apart) for me to persuade him she really was his wife and not a dangerous intruder in their house. He's at the stage where he fluctuates between seemingly normal, if a little disconnected, all the way through to angry aggression, and back again. It took 20 minutes or more to convince him to give her back her phone and house keys.

Thing was, and why the blog, she's convinced his worst episodes are shortly after she's given him his sedation meds, twice a day, which are supposed to stop him stressing and fretting constantly. Does anyone here know much about the disease, have you any input? She is on groups and getting support and a few others on her groups have also noticed similar reactions but doctors insist it is not the medication but the nature of the illness. I wondered if anyone here was clued up on the topic.

They've been good friends to me but I had no idea how bad things occasionally are as up to now I've only seen him during his vague-but-friendly stages. Last night tipped once or twice towards scary. So weird that he knew me, and eventually trusted me to be telling the truth, but didn't know his wife of many years. So, another question, and yes we're not supposed to ask questions on blogs but this is more of a conversation - any advice on the best way to react, if (when?) it happens again -

Can't ask on any other social media as this is my only anonymous outlet.

Try this just to see how much difference it makes to your calorie needs if you exercise

Tag. ) . people fall.


We know....do you ?

.. spike proteins

News just in... Guitarist and songwriter Robbie Robertson died today at the age of 80. Cause of death: prostate cancer. He battled the disease for about a year.

As a person gets older, changes occur in all parts of the body, including the brain. Certain parts of the brain shrink, including those important to learning and other complex mental activities. In certain brain regions, communication between neurons may be less effective. Blood flow in the brain may decrease

Aging is the time-related deterioration of the physiological functions necessary for survival and reproduction. The phenotypic changes of senescence (which affect all members of the species) are not to be confused with diseases of senescence, such as cancer and heart disease (which affect individuals)

Exposure to light is a top cause of premature aging: Sun exposure causes many skin problems. Ultraviolet (UV) light and exposure to sunlight age your skin more quickly than it would age naturally. The result is called photoaging, and it's responsible for 90% of visible changes to your skin.

Advantages to society of older persons include their lower criminal activity, greater political participation, increasing voluntary organization participation, work abilities, and visual perception abilities.

Worst Things about Aging that You Wish Grandparents Warned You About
Dull and thinning hair. ...
The turkey neck. ...
Spend more time in hospitals. ...
The knees and joints hurt. ...
Sore feet. ...
The body slows down. ...
Cognitive decline. ...
Plan early for retirement.

Body weakness is a common complaint of old people. It can be associated with several geriatric syndromes, including frailty, sarcopenia (loss of muscle mass and strength), functional decline, failure to thrive, frequent falls, incontinence, and inability to ambulate.

Effective solutions to deal with old age problems
Keep yourself in good health. ...
Follow medical advice. ...
Practice cleanliness. ...
Prevent accidental injuries. ...
Cultivate right mental attitude. ...
Keep yourself busy and active. ...
Nurture relationships.

What to eat
fruit and vegetables.
potatoes, bread, rice, pasta and other starchy foods.
dairy and alternatives.
beans, pulses, fish, eggs and other proteins.
oils and spreads.

Calcium and Vitamin D: ...
Vitamin B12: As you get older, your ability to absorb Vitamin B12 can diminish, which means you may need to include Vitamin B12 rich foods in your diet. ...
Dietary Fibre: Including fibre-rich foods in your diet will help you stay healthy.

The data used for this study was collected between 2011 and 2019. It featured U.S. veterans between the ages of 40 and 99. Over 30,000 participants died during the follow-up.
The study found that men who have adopted all eight habits at the age of 40 would be predicted to live 24 years longer, on average, than men who adopted none of these habits. Women who have adopted all eight habits by age 40 would live 23 years longer on average compared to those who adopted none.

The eight identified habits are:

* being physically active
* not smoking
* managing stress
* maintaining a good diet
* not regularly drinking alcohol excessively
* maintaining good sleep hygiene
* maintaining positive social relationships
* not developing an opioid addiction

Link: Medicalnewstoday

Oh yes, there's a part 2, but only because I gave some wrong information in my previous blog.

Quick note: The app I use is one that came preinstalled on my phone, so it does not have a name. One other app you can use is called Step Counter: Healthy Habits. That app tells you the distance you've walked as well as how many calories you've burned in a day. It apparently also rewards you for walking. A million coins gives you a $50 gift card for Amazon - allegedly. I haven't tested it out yet. I will let you know if it's legit or not

I mistakenly thought that the 184 miles was the total distance walked. It wasn't. It was the total steps walked this month.

Back in May, my phone told me that I had walked 98211 steps. In June, that number shot up dramatically, to 344178 steps. Given that this is the last day of July, the 31st, I am marking down my total steps this month as 442988.

So let's do the math. 98.211 + 344.178 + 442.998 is 885.387 steps - in about two and a bit months. How many kilometers is that? That's 708.3 km. That's about 440 miles, if you count imperial. That means my math was WAY off. In a year, I will walk 4248 kilometers, or 2640 miles. That's the same distance from New York City to Fernley, Nevada.

You'd think you could see it on me, but alas. You can't. Maybe in a years time, possibly.

My phone keeps up with how many steps I take in a day, and calculates that into kilometers. Since I have had my current phone, I have walked 423.456 steps, or 296.42 kilometers. In USA measurement, 296.42 kilometers is 184 miles.

How long has my phone kept a tally of my steps? Since mid-may, so I have been walking 184 miles in two and a half months. Let's say I keep this up, just for the sake of making the math easy, I will just count it as 2 months.

The math is as follows: 184 divided by 2. That's 92. Then take the 92 and multiply that by 12. That means that by June 2024, the number of steps I have taken will equal 1104 miles, or 1776 kilometers. For reference: 1104 miles is the same distance from Burkeville, Texas to Dragoon, Arizona. It's quite a distance.

It's important to point out, that this is just a quick average monthly number. It can be higher or it can be lower.

The point is - I have walked 184 miles in two and a half months. Something I didn't ever think was possible, given that I am the laziest person ever. It helps that I have a job that I love.

Does your phone keep a tally of your steps?